A business jet crashed on takeoff at Bangor International Airport in Maine on Sunday night during a snowstorm, killing all six people aboard, officials said. The Bombardier Challenger 600 went down at approximately 7.45pm local time as visibility worsened, prompting the airport to close.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said preliminary information indicates the aircraft crashed upon departure and experienced a post-crash fire. Investigators are expected to focus on weather conditions and whether ice accumulating on the wings prevented the jet from gaining altitude, a known issue with this model.
The jet is registered to a corporation sharing an address in Houston, Texas, with the personal injury law firm Arnold & Itkin Trial Lawyers. One of the firm's founding partners is listed as the registered agent for the owning company.
An audio recording from air traffic control captured a voice saying: "Aircraft upside down. We have a passenger aircraft upside down," about 45 seconds after takeoff was cleared. First responders arrived less than a minute later, according to airport director Jose Saavedra.
The airport, approximately 200 miles north of Boston, is expected to remain closed until at least noon on Wednesday. The National Weather Service reported that while nearly 10 inches of snow fell in total, only about a tenth of an inch had accumulated at the time of the crash, with light but steady snowfall.
The Bombardier Challenger 600 has a history of icing-related crashes, including fatal incidents in Birmingham, England, and Montrose, Colorado, more than two decades ago. Aviation safety consultant Jeff Guzzetti, a former federal crash investigator, said even a small amount of ice on the wings can cause serious problems, and de-icing typically remains effective for only about 20 minutes.
